How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Sorry about all these posts, but over the past few days I'm feeling less secure. I'm not suicidal but horribly depressed and anxious for a number of reasons.

The surgery was nearly four weeks ago, and I'm still taking Vicodin for pain. I think I'm getting addicted to the stuff and it feels like I must have it. If I skip a dose my back usually goes bye-bye. Back trouble has been an issue for years, but especially more so after the operation.

I've had several abdominal surgeries and am paranoid about having to go back to the ER for stomach pain. I had a strangulated hernia two years ago, an incarcerated hernia this time around (along with a few other things), and the Vicodin can be constipating. I'm paranoid about developing another intestinal blockage.

I'm all alone with hardly anyone to talk to. The people I chat with here have been more supportive than most people I know here at home. I feel as if I need a more structured environment until I get my psych issues under control. And I believe that I still need ECT for the depression.

So let me ask this: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission if one is not suicidal? I am absolutlely miserable and cannot stand living in a constant state of fear. I'm worried about getting weaned off these pain meds and not being able to cope with my back trouble. I'm worried about the possibility that my stomach problems will return.

In other words, all I do is worry. And my car is going to have to be scrapped soon, which is depressing enough.

I could use some advice about how to go about getting admitted. In another thread of mine I posted about a disabled advocacy group but haven't heard from them yet. I'll call them back on Monday and tell them what I said here.

Thoughts, anyone?

P.S. Can anyone tell me if recent surgery is a contraindication for ECT?

Last edited by dianajune; 11-12-2011 at 07:31 PM.
Reason: Forgot to add something

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dianajune

How hard is it to get a voluntary admission if one is not suicidal?

I think your doctor or someone else at the hospital would be in the best position to answer this question. If your doctor thinks you should be admitted I don't think it should be difficult to get a voluntary admission. I think some questions you may want to ask yourself is what specifically do you intend to achieve during your inpatient stay? How long do you anticipate your inpatient stay will be and how many days does your insurance cover for inpatient treatment? What kind of treatment plan would you like to have after being discharged? And do you expect having any difficulty with readjusting to your daily routines after you're discharged?

You may want to see if there are any other treatment plans that would be as beneficial to you without being as restrictive or costly as inpatient treatment. I haven't been treated on an inpatient basis for mental health problems but I have talked about the possibility with the hospital staff. From what I understand the intention of inpatient treatment is to keep patients in a secure environment until they're stable enough to be treated on an outpatient basis.

A possible alternative to inpatient treatment is going to an intensive outpatient program. An intensive outpatient program can also provide structure in your life and it may have the benefit of providing treatment over a longer period of time than inpatient treatment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dianajune

Can anyone tell me if recent surgery is a contraindication for ECT?

I think as with your other question, your doctor would be the best person to answer this question.

The Following User Says Thank You to flamesabers For This Useful Post:
dianajune (11-13-2011)

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

I can't imagine how bad you must feel, I'm sorry you are going through this but I'm going to be honest. I don't think this is the best way to deal with these problems, you need to be strong, you need to look after yourself. Inpatient care for this kind of thing is very expensive, you need to be weened off that pain medication because it is very addictive which you have physically seemed to have noticed, and you need to look for alternative pain relief.

I think visiting a therapist would be a very good step instead of throwing yourself in a very expensive deep end. I also think it would be a good idea to try and find an hobby to occupy your busy mind! Swimming is a good form of exercise for pain relief, once you've completely recovered from your surgery, painting, reading, writing are all good small hobbies you could pursue while recovering.

I really hope you begin to feel better soon, you are not alone in this.

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dianajune (11-13-2011)

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Flamesabers:

There are several things I would like to accomplish with a hospital stay. First of all, esp. with my medical history and that it's been over 10 years since my last ECT treatment, having that done on an inpatient basis might be a good idea. While I am not suicidal, I am an emotional wreck and thought that a structured environment - at least for a little while, with medical support - would be helpful.

I'm going to contact that disabled advocacy group I mentioned before. I know they give assistance with regard to mental health needs and might have day treatment programs like you suggested. Hopefully they will be able to assist with transportation as my car will be scrapped soon. Public transit is limited in my neck of the woods. But it's better than nothing!

I'll have to go over this with my doctor.

Ayria:

You mentioned taking on a hobby, and this reminded me of something my visiting nurse suggested. She suggested I try volunteering somewhere. If my car was reliable, there is one place I thought about volunteering at awhile back but never had the chance. It was a home where my great-aunt stayed prior to her passing. They took very good care of her.

There's a large place for homeless men in my area, and I don't know if they want volunteers but I could ask. It's on the bus route, so at least I won't have to worry about how to get there!

I'm going to call my surgeon's office and ask them for how to cut back on this pain medication. It's my understanding that it's harmful to quit it cold turkey, and he and my primary care provider have disagreed as to how long I should remain on it. I've got an idea as to how to taper it off and will run it by him first. Then maybe my stomach will get back to normal. It was giving me a hard time last night. That was one of the reasons I was so down.

Another reason I asked about being hospitalized is that when I'm going through scary times like this - recovering from major surgery, being addicted to my pain meds, coping with the side effects of those meds, etc, etc - I hate being all alone. At least being hospitalized would provide me with support that I don't have at home. Flamesabers was right about the idea of going to some kind of outpatient program, but at some point I will need ECT and would prefer to have it on an inpatient basis.

I would have it on an outpatient basis if they thought it would be safe to do so, but transportation is a big problem for me. I know of no one in my neck of the woods, including relatives, who would take me to the city three times a week for at least two weeks in a row.

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dianajune

I would have it on an outpatient basis if they thought it would be safe to do so, but transportation is a big problem for me. I know of no one in my neck of the woods, including relatives, who would take me to the city three times a week for at least two weeks in a row.

Does your hospital have some sort of shuttling service that could take you to and from the hospital if you have to get the ECT treatments on an outpatient basis?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dianajune

There's a large place for homeless men in my area, and I don't know if they want volunteers but I could ask. It's on the bus route, so at least I won't have to worry about how to get there!

I hope everything works out with the volunteering. I would think charitable organizations would always be in need of more volunteers.

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Quote:

Originally Posted by flamesabers

Does your hospital have some sort of shuttling service that could take you to and from the hospital if you have to get the ECT treatments on an outpatient basis?

I hope everything works out with the volunteering. I would think charitable organizations would always be in need of more volunteers.

It would be nice if that hospital had some kind of shuttle service, but I doubt it. I could always ask. That's one of the things I'll check on when I call the advocacy group tomorrow.

As for the volunteering, that will have to wait until I feel better from the surgery and get my mental health issues addressed. If only I had a decent car I'd drive to that house that takes care of terminally ill people. One would think that's too much for a person with depression and anxiety to handle, but they took very good care of my great-aunt.

The other place is much closer and I can take the bus there if need be.

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dianajune

I hope you're doing ok this evening.

Yesterday evening went good for me. I enjoyed talking to my sister about Thanksgiving plans and I have a possible lead about getting a job after I'm done with college. Having a job lined up after I graduate will be a huge morale booster for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dianajune

I can't wait to get better and have a normal life...whatever that is.

I tend to think of a normal life as when I can enjoy the positives aspects of life and have enough resiliency to get through the difficult times without too much trouble.

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Quote:

Originally Posted by flamesabers

Yesterday evening went good for me. I enjoyed talking to my sister about Thanksgiving plans and I have a possible lead about getting a job after I'm done with college. Having a job lined up after I graduate will be a huge morale booster for me.

I tend to think of a normal life as when I can enjoy the positives aspects of life and have enough resiliency to get through the difficult times without too much trouble.

I hope that you will get the job you are seeking after leaving college. After my medical and other issues are addressed, I would like to return to school to finish my degree. I don't want to stay on disability forever and would like to return to work with better skills.

Getting through the difficult times can be rough. That's why it's so important to have a good support system. I praise God for this board and for everyone I have met on it, including you! I don't know what I do w/o you guys!

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Quote:

Originally Posted by flamesabers

What type of work would you like to do? I think it's good you have plans for what you would like to do after your medical and other issues are resolved.

If I can return to college and finish my degree, I would like to work for the National Weather Service. Having been a Federal employee would give me a better chance if a job opening comes up with that agency. As far as the Feds are concerned, it's the only job with the government that I'd want to have.

I would like to study meteorology, but the visiting nurse seemed to think that was a bad idea. I disagree. I find the study of weather to be fascinating and I'm a certified spotter for the National Weather Service through the end of this year. It's not a paid job, just a volunteer type thing. For example, if there were severe thunderstorms in this area, I could give the NWS details about it, such as wind speed, hail, etc, etc.

My certification runs out at the end of the year, so I'll have to take another course. I'm not sure when I will be able to do that because of my medical and transportation problems.

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Hi Diana... I know how you feel right now (minus the surgery part). I have been self medicating myself with pain meds on and off for years and went through detox twice which I loved being in the safe environment of my local hospital. It was a wonderful experience and I felt better.

The drug abuse issue for me is just part of my situation, if one is interested..you can see my posts on the adddiction board. I, too, am dealing with the worst cycle of anxiety/depression right now. It is absoutely horrendous. I am not suicidal either. I want to live and do not want to die. However, I am completely overwhelmed with my feelings right now and from about 4pm until midight I am consumed with anxiety. I take a low dose of temazepam before bed to help me sleep and calm down. I am not addicted to those and I take a very very low dose. However I have convinced myself that I am going to have withdrawals if I stop, which logically is not the case. So I take it ever night in order to not have nonexistent withdrawals! It is silly.

It is all coming to a head. I am scared to take an antidepressant because I am sick of throwing chemicals in my brain. I am also consumed that I have destroyed my brain and dopamine cells from the drug abuse. I have been told by a few professionals that this also unlikely as research shows that the brain can heal itself from opiate abuse and even though abuse of a drug is abuse, opiates seem to be the lesser of evils of you compare it to abuse of drugs like amphetamines, methamphetamines.

I have been using a drug called suboxone to ease the withdrawals from opiates. I have been on a generally low dose compared to others.. There is withdrawal from that when you stop and it is milder.. but the few times I have stopped, I freak out and return to opiates because I am so scared of withdrawals.

Sorry this is long, but to sum it up. ANxiety and depression are the main root of my issues right now and I would actually love to go somewhere and get all drugs out of my system and then be properly be diagnosed. I feel too that I would benefit from structure and support of others rather than sit in my room day after day and dwell on every negative factor destroying my life. I do have a job and I travel for a living, but lately it is impossible for me to go to work while I am in this state of depression. I am lucky I can arrange my schedule as such but the catch 22 of this is, once I do go to work and fly away, I do not have the anxiety that I have at home.

The following user gives a hug of support to musicman3:
dianajune (11-16-2011)

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicman3

Hi Diana... I know how you feel right now (minus the surgery part). I have been self medicating myself with pain meds on and off for years and went through detox twice which I loved being in the safe environment of my local hospital. It was a wonderful experience and I felt better.

The drug abuse issue for me is just part of my situation, if one is interested..you can see my posts on the adddiction board. I, too, am dealing with the worst cycle of anxiety/depression right now. It is absoutely horrendous. I am not suicidal either. I want to live and do not want to die. However, I am completely overwhelmed with my feelings right now and from about 4pm until midight I am consumed with anxiety. I take a low dose of temazepam before bed to help me sleep and calm down. I am not addicted to those and I take a very very low dose. However I have convinced myself that I am going to have withdrawals if I stop, which logically is not the case. So I take it ever night in order to not have nonexistent withdrawals! It is silly.

It is all coming to a head. I am scared to take an antidepressant because I am sick of throwing chemicals in my brain. I am also consumed that I have destroyed my brain and dopamine cells from the drug abuse. I have been told by a few professionals that this also unlikely as research shows that the brain can heal itself from opiate abuse and even though abuse of a drug is abuse, opiates seem to be the lesser of evils of you compare it to abuse of drugs like amphetamines, methamphetamines.

I have been using a drug called suboxone to ease the withdrawals from opiates. I have been on a generally low dose compared to others.. There is withdrawal from that when you stop and it is milder.. but the few times I have stopped, I freak out and return to opiates because I am so scared of withdrawals.

Sorry this is long, but to sum it up. ANxiety and depression are the main root of my issues right now and I would actually love to go somewhere and get all drugs out of my system and then be properly be diagnosed. I feel too that I would benefit from structure and support of others rather than sit in my room day after day and dwell on every negative factor destroying my life. I do have a job and I travel for a living, but lately it is impossible for me to go to work while I am in this state of depression. I am lucky I can arrange my schedule as such but the catch 22 of this is, once I do go to work and fly away, I do not have the anxiety that I have at home.

I'm sorry that you're going through a rough time with depression, anxiety and addiction. I guess we're in a similar jam. At this time I'm concerned about withdrawal from Vicodin. I have been trying to take two a day now, instead of three, but then my back kicks in. I don't know if this means I am addicted or that my bad back is still acting up and is taking longer to recover. I had abdominal surgery, but afterwards I put on weight in the hospital (which is normal) and that put a load on my back that it didn't need. I lost most if not all of that weight by now.

Being in a structured environment would make me feel more secure, especially with all the health problems I've had. Just yesterday I was freaking out over something that is turning out to be relatively minor. I found a skin infection on my chest, which is probably from when I had to lean way over a table to plug in my laptop. I remember bumping into the edge of that table and the things that were on top of it. Hence the small sore and the infection that came with it. I put antibiotic ointment on it and a bandage, and this morning it looks much better.

Re. my depression, I'd rather have ECT on an inpatient basis because of my medical history and that I haven't had those treatments in years. I don't know if being that much older would make a difference as to how the treatments would affect me. ECT is the only thing that helps my depression. No meds ever have. Believe me, I've tried many.

I get overwhelmed with anxiety, and so far the new med I was put on isn't helping much. It takes awhile, so I heard, for Klonopin to kick in. There are times when it's so bad I can't function and I want to stay in bed. I've been on disability for over 8 years now. I would much rather work than to go through this.

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

DianaJune, I am so sorry for all the things you are going thru.
I feel the main thing you need to do is get your mental health issue dealt with. I too suffer from acute severe depression and anxiety and was admitted to a looney bin as I called it after shooting myself in the heart, missed thank God and went thru my lung, collaspsed, and shattered my scapula, chest tubes etc, spent 6 days in the hospital then they shipped me to a psych ward which was a hell whole. Only had to stay 3 days, then continued my theraphy out patient. Took me 2 years to get regulated on my psych meds. As you know it usually takes 4-6 weeks to see improvement.
Was in theraphy for years and continue to see my shrink for a med check.
On 5 different meds, finally they found the right cocktail that worked. The depression still reals it's ugly head but I have people to talk to and get me thru. I was full of shame and guilt and didn't understand what was wrong with me. That big black hole that swallowed me. Now I know the symptoms and what to do. Some days it's difficult to get out of bed and go to work.
I fell and hurt my back and my other shoulder. The gun shot shoulder still hurts after 10 years. I went to PM and after a few years was cut off of from my pain meds as my MD closed and moved with all my records. That's when I started on subs, another mistake I made, of many..
I was Baker acted into the psych ward. Some people in there went in just for medication changes and wanted to be monitered which it sounds like you want.. You will have to do some research and find out what is possible where you live. I so understand where you are and am so sorry. I hope to NEVER get into that place again. This is my experience only, so do what is best for you. I KNOW you have to get your mental health issues taken care of first, the rest will follow. Good luck and you'll be in my prayers. For some reason God saved me, maybe to help you.
Bless you my friend and take good care of yourself.
Love and Peace,
Gracie

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoiegrace

DianaJune, I am so sorry for all the things you are going thru.
I feel the main thing you need to do is get your mental health issue dealt with. I too suffer from acute severe depression and anxiety and was admitted to a looney bin as I called it after shooting myself in the heart, missed thank God and went thru my lung, collaspsed, and shattered my scapula, chest tubes etc, spent 6 days in the hospital then they shipped me to a psych ward which was a hell whole. Only had to stay 3 days, then continued my theraphy out patient. Took me 2 years to get regulated on my psych meds. As you know it usually takes 4-6 weeks to see improvement.
Was in theraphy for years and continue to see my shrink for a med check.
On 5 different meds, finally they found the right cocktail that worked. The depression still reals it's ugly head but I have people to talk to and get me thru. I was full of shame and guilt and didn't understand what was wrong with me. That big black hole that swallowed me. Now I know the symptoms and what to do. Some days it's difficult to get out of bed and go to work.
I fell and hurt my back and my other shoulder. The gun shot shoulder still hurts after 10 years. I went to PM and after a few years was cut off of from my pain meds as my MD closed and moved with all my records. That's when I started on subs, another mistake I made, of many..
I was Baker acted into the psych ward. Some people in there went in just for medication changes and wanted to be monitered which it sounds like you want.. You will have to do some research and find out what is possible where you live. I so understand where you are and am so sorry. I hope to NEVER get into that place again. This is my experience only, so do what is best for you. I KNOW you have to get your mental health issues taken care of first, the rest will follow. Good luck and you'll be in my prayers. For some reason God saved me, maybe to help you.
Bless you my friend and take good care of yourself.
Love and Peace,
Gracie

I am very sorry about what you went through in the past, and what you're going through now. I praise God that he saved you!

When I was still working, my depression got so bad that the Employee Assistance Program called the hospital and they made me get help. They would have called the police if I didn't report to the hospital. I was kept 3 days then released when the psychiatrist I saw at the time refused to do my ECT on an outpatient basis. And, I believe they wouldn't have discharged me if they thought I was suicidal.

So I saw another psychiatrist and he did the ECT. I'm hoping to get back to the same hospital and have it again as no med ever touched my depression. I have what is called "medication-resistant depression." As for the anxiety, I'm having trouble finding the right meds for that. I was recently put on Klonopin by my primary care provider. So far it's not doing much, but it helps with sleeping.

I have to be careful with that as I'm still on pain meds from the surgery. I'm trying to get weaned off of them. And to complicate things even further, yesterday morning I found an infected sore on my breast. Not sure where that came from unless it was from when I bumped into a small table and had to lean way over it to plug in my laptop. That table had alot of stuff on it and I had a small bruise on the other breast, which is just about gone. Anyway, this infection seems to be improving, but I have to call them back tomorrow and tell them what it looks like. I am hoping to not have to return to the hospital for that.

I would rather be admitted for the ECT. Once I get my mental health needs addressed I can start doing other things, like work on getting my weight down, return to school, etc, so that when I am ready to get off disability I can get a good job.

Don't be surprised if I check into the hospital after that infection clears up. I'm tired of living in fear all the time and being horribly depressed. I am not suicidal, just miserable all the time.

Re: How hard is it to get a voluntary admission for depression and anxiety?

DianaJune, have you found out anything in the city you live in? Could you go back to the MD who did the ECT before. They did that to a few patients at the unit I was in. I'm so grateful they found meds that work. The cop that came to my house after I shot myself told me he could put me in jail for attempting suicide. Can you believe that comment, like I really needed to hear that. He said that while holding a large gun at my head, screaming at me. along with about 5 other cops with guns pointed at me
There's not alot of people out there who give a shiat. Hope you can find someone to help. People with mental issues are treated worse than drug addicts, and I'm both. My shrink is really cool, am so grateful.
Take care and best of luck.
Love and Peace,
Gracie